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Soulja Slim – Give It 2 Em Raw

First, let me start the review off by saying that Soulja Slim, next to C-Murder and Mac, is my favorite southern my favorite artist of all time. I love down south rap, and he is what down south rap represents. This album came out amidst 21 other CDs from No Limit in 1998. Somehow though, maybe because the sound was still fresh (this album dropped in May of 98) or because Slim’s delivery was so raw, it stood out amongst other albums from that year like Full Blooded, Skull Duggery, etc. That being said, on to the review:

1) From What I Was Told:

Slim kicks off the album with a bass guitar influenced joint about his debut on No Limit. This song was also used for the ‘I Got the Hookup! Soundtrack’ released a month earlier, and was made into a video. The song’s hook is what makes it stand out with lines like ‘Niggas say Ima hit No Limit, like Pac hit Deathrow’. Truly a stand out cut.

This cd is full of piano loops and bass guitar rifts, and this song is no different. The theme is Slim being locked down and his girl holding it down for him, even though he knows she’s out doing shit she aint supposed to be doing. Slim delivers three hard verses on this solo track, and doesn’t dissapoint.

4) At The Same Time feat. Snoop Dogg:

One of the best joints on the album…period. Not because of the beat, but because of the subject matter and the flawless flow of Snoop and Slim. The hook, the verses, everything is almost perfect. Snoop and Slim trade verses on hitting No Limit at the exact same time while Snoop tries to find his flow over No Limit produced tracks and Slim gives hard hittin lines.

5) Only Real Niggas:

Another solo track for Soulja Slim ( which is rare considering No Limit’s tendency to put at least 3 other soldiers on every song ) is an average track to me. I don’t hate it, but it’s not one of my favorites. The hook gets old after hearing it twice, and the verses are the only thing that stand out. People complain about Slim’s flow, but after hearing him on a certain amount of tracks, it becomes more of an art then a choppy flow, unlike Silkk the Shocker. Average track though.

6) Pray For Your Baby feat. Master P, Trenitty:

P’s 2Pac influenced monotone rhymes set the stage for this song, as it goes through your average gangsta subjects and themes. P delivers lines like “Mama I love ya cause ya made me, but this ghetto got me crazy, so pray for yo baby!”. Trenitty (of Slim’s Cutthroat Committy click) has a decent verse, and Slim shines once again with his flow and ability to make his lyrics visual to the listener.

7) Head Buster feat. Big Ed, Mr. Serv-On:

Definatley a stand out joint, with hard ass verses from Slim and Big Ed. The beat is sick, everything’s good. Then Serv-On hits the cut with the last verse, and rips it. Serv’s style had changed, and for the better. Easily one of the best songs on the album.

8) Me and My Cousin feat. Full Blooded:

Not a bad song, the idea of the song though was even better. Slim’s real cousin – Hound ( Full Blooded ) appears on the song and they go back and forth in what a good collaboration should sound like. The only problem is Hound….he can’t rap. I never thought he could. He’s not even raw on the mic or intense. He slurs his words and sounds like a mess on almost every track he’s on. Slim though once again proves that he deserves to be respected as one of the best MC’s in the game.

9) You Got It (II) feat. Mia X:

You Got It (II) is an underated track. And the reason it’s a part II, is because it was off one of Slim’s CD’s from Parkway Pumpin Records (originally owned by KLC). It was also featured on Down South Hustlers compilation, the first version that is. The second one is basically the same thing, with better recording quality and a slight change in the hook. It is a good track, until Mia comes on. I dont mind Mia X, but she didnt do shit for this song. She wasn’t on the original, and didn’t deserve to be on the 2nd one. Good track, but skip when Mama Mia drops her verse.

10) You Ain’t Never Seen feat. Master P:

Despite saying it features Master P, he doesn’t rap and doesn’t even give his signature “Uhhhh!!!”. It’s strictly Soulja Slim. This song is most definatley one of the best I’ve heard from any label in a long time. The chorus is sick wit lines like “You aint neva seen what I seen, or been through what I been through that’s why I got a *****ed up mental!”. Slim delivers bomb ass verses, and this track is definatley a stand out cut. The beat, the lyrics, everything is perfect.

11) Anything feat. Mia X:

Slim don’t even shine on this one. It’s aint worth hearin,cause the beat and the lines get very repetitive. One of the only skippable tracks on the entire album. Not recommended.

12) Imagine feat. Mac, C-Murder:

One of my favorite tracks of all time. Definatley the best on the album, with hard street verses from Mac, Slim, and C-Murder. They all rip it, the verses, the lyrics, everything is on point. The beat is also one of the reasons to listen to this song, the piano with the bass, is pure perfection. If you like Slim, down south rap, or rap period listen to this classic.

13) Takin Hits feat. Master P:

Another song where Master P has just a short cameo at the beginning and Slim spits his shit. This is more of a bounce track, with a bouncing bass in the background. The beat has to grow on you, but it is definatley a hard hitting track. Slim paints the picture of him being a hired hittman with his lyrics. Definatley recommended and in the top 5 joints on the album.

14) Wootay:

Another solo track from Slim ( which is very good ), doesn’t dissapoint. To me, the album picks up around the second half of the CD, and this song is no exception. After Cash Money blew up usin words like Wootay, nobody realized Slim’s been usin that word. The beat is hot, the lyrics are on point, with Slim addressing his haterz and being Soulja hated. Good song.

15) Get High Wit Me feat. Trenitty, Mystikal:

A tight ass track bout gettin high, and being down to ride in any situation. Slim delivers a slow, smooth, verse that outshines everybody else on the track. Trenitty’s verse is too short and not that great, and Mystikal does his usual thing. Bottom line though, another great track off an album full of great tracks, definatley recommended for the weed smokerz.

16) Law Breakaz:

Starts off with a 30 second skit, and then really picks up. Probably my 3rd or 4th favorite song off the album. The beat is real uptempo, and so are the lyrics, almost to the point where you can’t understand what Slim’s saying. Nevertheless, the hook (“This is for the law breakaz, kidnappaz, murdererz, and burglarerz”), and all three verses are lyrical masterpieces from one of the most respected artists in the game.

17) What’s Up, What’s Happnin:

A somewhat short song, but Slim made the most of it. My favorite song off the album, Slim delivers two hardcore verses for what he claims is his “last bounce shit”, and he doesn’t dissapoint. He gives shoutouts to every ward in New Orleans and dead rappers like Kilo G, Pimp Daddy, etc. Definatley a hot track.

18) Hustlin is a Habit feat. Steady Mobb’n:

This song is straight, but it’s not all that great. The beat has bells incorporated with bass, that No Limit would use much during the end of 1998. Soulja Slim once again has the best verse, with bay area veterans Steady Mobb’n comin average. Average song, nothin more.

19) Gettin Real feat. Silkk the Shocker, Full Blooded, Fiend:

Rowdy track featuring a number of No Limit soldiers including Slim’s cousin – Hound. Slim’s verse is the best behind Fiend’s who steals the track. Silkk supplies the hook, and nothin more. Good track though.

This song looks like a soulja song No Limit is known for giving us. Unfortunatley itdoesn’t come down to that. From each rapper, you get about 2 bars, and is most definatley a poor filler track. The beat sounds like some Sega Genesis game, and NOBODY can save this track…weak attempt to end the album.

Well, despite 2 or 3 tracks that aren’t anything to listen to…this album is perfect. Production from Beats By The Pound was never better, and my favorite artist of all time delivers arguably his best shit ever.Despite appearances and being incarcerated during it’s release, Slim manages to shine all on his own, let’s it be known it’s his debut, and manages to sell over 82,000 copies it’s first week. If not for the prison time, Slim, I’m sure, would’ve gone gold, cause the album itself is nothin less then platinum. R.I.P. Soulja Slim.